


Ruin

by 0KKULTiC



Category: NU'EST, Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Adultery, Angst, M/M, Mentions of JaeBaek, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 18:46:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16101590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0KKULTiC/pseuds/0KKULTiC
Summary: Minhyun just can't seem to let Dongho be happy. Not even on his wedding day.





	Ruin

**Author's Note:**

> // This work is unedited therefore will contain more grammatical and spelling errors than usual

Minhyun sighed anxiously. He pulled on the white tie, tightening it around Dongho’s neck. The silk formed a comely knot around the bulkier man’s neck; its shine contrasted beautifully with the crisply pressed shirt beneath. Combined with a flawlessly tailored tuxedo jacket, it made for a stunning look.

 

“There,” Minhyun said, giving Dongho a light pat on the shoulder. “Very handsome.”

 

“Thanks,” Dongho replied. He sized himself up in the full body mirror the two stood in front of. Not a hair dared stick out of place. He looked like James Bond or a movie star, Minhyun thought. Minhyun watched the other’s chocolate eyes inspect his figure and his hair. 

 

“You nervous?” Minhyun asked, giving the other a reassuring grin.

 

Dongho pressed his lips together. He stayed quiet, just thinking for a few moments. Finally, he shook his head. Softly, he responded.

 

“Actually… No, no I’m not.”

 

Minhyun forced out a laugh, “Wow, that’s amazing. Not even a little?”

 

“No,” Dongho chuckled. His lips stretched out ever so slightly into a grin, that infectious, irresistible grin. “I’m really not.”

 

“You’re not, like… Nervous you’re gonna trip and fall flat on your ass down the aisle?” The other goaded, poking the other in the side. Finally, his laugh. Dongho giggled quietly, and Minhyun couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

 

“Don’t,” Dongho whined, “You’re gonna jinx it,” He pushed back ever so slightly. 

 

“Oh no, that’d be awful. I would  _ hate  _ to watch you humiliate yourself…”

 

“Stop it.”

 

“In front of all your friends.”

 

“Stop it!”

 

“And family.”

 

“Stop!”

 

“Just terrible.”

 

“Well you have to walk down the aisle first as my best man, so if anyone’s falling, it’ll be you,” Dongho said, giving Minhyun a shove. The two giggled like teenagers for a few moments. When they ran out of breath, the buzz of laughter died down to a faint hum.

 

Minhyun regarded the man in front of him. With short breath and a wide smile, he looked beautiful. Even though the two had known each other for years, parts of Dongho never changed. His laugh still pitched up into an adorable squeak, and he still squinted his eyes when he smile - really smiled, not the courteous, polite kind. He’d grown a lot, but he’d come into his more muscular frame well. Minhyun wondered if he’d changed too. Whenever he saw himself in the mirror, he didn’t really feel better or new or improved. Not like Dongho, who shone more brightly than ever.

 

_ If anyone’s falling, it’ll be you.  _ That’s what Dongho had said, but it’s hard to fall when you’re already down.

 

A silence fell between them that Minhyun didn’t quite feel comfortable with. He pressed his lips together, forcing some words out into the air to relieve the heaviness that had replaced the fun.

 

“Wow, I can’t believe it’s really happening,” Minhyun said, “We’re getting old.” He scrunched his nose.

 

“Guess so,” Dongho laughed. He looked content and relaxed, more than he did in everyday life. It was like he felt at peace for once.

 

“So… You’re really not nervous about this?” Minhyun asked again. It was almost like he wanted to give his best friend cold feet. 

 

“Nope,” Dongho shrugged, “Not at all. Not with Jonghyun.” Fondness dripped from his voice. He shook his head, “Never with Jonghyun.”

 

“No?” Minhyun chuckled wryly. He distracted himself, glancing at his own suit and tie in the mirror. “Why not?” He felt like it was a stupid question, but he’d asked it before he could control himself.

 

“I dunno, but… That’s good, right?” Dongho asked as if Minhyun would have a definitive answer. Like he knew anything useful about love. “I guess it’s just that a lot of things in life are hard-  they’re challenging. But… Being with Jonghyun is the easiest thing in the world.”

 

“Easy?” Minhyun snorted quietly, “Is that the kind of marriage you want? An easy one?”

 

Fuck. The word replayed in Minhyun’s mind over and over again. It tattooed itself into every inch of his brain, screaming into his ears. Now he’d done it.

 

Dongho’s calm expression immediately fell. He furrowed his brows and glared at Minhyun.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Nothing,” Minhyun tripped over himself to backpedal, “Nothing at all-”

 

“No, I think you had something to say.”

 

Minhyun kept his lips tightly shut.

 

“Come on,” Dongho demanded, “Say it.” It amazed Minhyun just how quickly the other’s features had transformed from lovely to menacing. He leered at Minhyun, jaw locked in an expression of acrid displeasure.

 

Minhyun’s pupils darted to the ground. He didn’t really have anything to say - at least, nothing worth saying. Nothing that didn’t ooze pitiful bitterness.

 

Dongho scoffed, “Wow. Of all days, too…”

 

“I’m sorry,” Minhyun blurted out. It was true. He was sorry, though maybe not for all the reasons he should have been. “I’m- I’m sorry, okay. I just blurted it out. Weddings are emotional, you know. I- I’m your best man, I should be better than this.” He tried to laugh it off, but he’d never been that good of an actor. “I just- I was just running my mouth-”

 

“You think I believe that?” A strong arm shot out to shove Minhyun, and this time it wasn’t very playful. “You think I haven’t noticed the way you stand around like there’s a stick shoved up your ass every time you talk about this wedding?”

 

“Wh- I do not-”

 

“You do, actually. I thought maybe it was- was work stress or- or you were tired-”

 

“If- if you really noticed something like that, why wait until now to tell me?” Anger started boiling up inside of the best man. He couldn’t stop it anymore. He felt furious at so, so many things, and taking shit from the groom wasn’t helping. 

 

“I told you- I didn’t think it was a big deal. I didn’t think you’d- you’d be like this on my wedding day.”

 

“So it’s fine if I’m in a shitty mood on any day except your special day?” Minhyun’s heart sunk, “It’s- it’s fine if I’m miserable as long as I don’t ruin your special day? Well I am  _ so  _ sorry that my feelings are ruining your precious moment.”

 

“I’m the bad guy for wanting my best man to support me on my wedding day? Do you hear yourself?”

 

Minhyun took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and counted to three, adjusting his jacket slightly. When he opened them again, he tried to sound more calm, more “supportive” as Dongho had said. The man had a point. There was a time and place to reopen old wounds, the groom’s suite on a wedding day wasn’t that.

 

“You know what, you’re right. I’m being rude. I- I should be happy for you and Jonghyun- I am happy for you and Jonghyun. I am.”

 

Dongho let out a heavy breath, “Are you? Or do you need to repeat it a few more times to convince yourself? Fuck- I can’t believe I let you be my best man.”

 

“Let me-” The flip switched and Minhyun felt acute annoyance - even worse than before. “ _ Let me _ be your best man?” He clenched his fists, taking a step closer to Dongho. Anybody with functioning eyesight could see that Dongho could knock Minhyun over with a stiff breath; however, that didn’t stop Minhyun from using the one advantage he did have, his height, to loom over the other. “You  _ begged  _ me to be your best man. You wanted me around- made me accompany you to all kinds of matrimonial crap-”

 

“You didn’t have to say yes! If you were against my marriage, why the hell even be a part of it?”

 

“Bullshit! Like I could say no with your and Jonghyun’s big puppy eyes staring at me.”

 

“I… Minhyun I,” Dongho took a few moments to choose his words, “I thought we were past this.” He gestured vaguely between them. “I thought we could-”

 

“We could what, Dongho? We could what?” Minhyun threw his hands up, “We could be like- like before? That we could be friends? How can you go back to being friends with someone when you were never just friends in the first place?”

 

That question lingered in the air for a bit. I hung between the two weightfully. Neither one of them could quite meet the other’s eye. Once again, Minhyun burdened himself with breaking the silence.

 

“I think… I think you’re more nervous than you say you are. Maybe me, too. That’s what this is, right? Nerves,” He gave Dongho an out. He wanted the other to say “yeah, you’re right, Minhyun” or “sorry, it really is just wedding jitters”. Maybe then they could be okay. Maybe then, Minhyun could ignore the festering feeling of resentment and bitterness roiling in his chest. Maybe then he could go back to pretending that acting as best man didn’t feel like a sick joke or some form of torture.

 

“I think you should leave,” Dongho said flatly. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground. 

 

“Dongho,” Minhyun’s face went slack, despair plunging itself into his heart. 

 

“And it’s probably for the best that you stay away after the ceremony.”

 

“I have a toast-”

 

“It can be skipped. We’ll say you felt sick.”

 

“Dongho,” Devastation wracked Minhyun’s heart. Like lightning it struck him in the chest, sparks radiating throughout his body, stinging him with hurt. “Dongho I- I- we’re still friends. I care about you and I love Jonghyun. You know that.”

 

Dongho faced himself toward the mirror. It was only through that pane of reflective glass that he would look at Minhyun. His face looked calm on the surface, but Minhyun knew he was far from it. He could see the fury boiling beneath.

 

“Then leave us alone.”

 

“Wh- Dongho-”

 

“I’m serious,” He said “serious”, but his face betrayed something different. It looked like dismay on the groom’s face - or sadness. The emotion came as a flicker, but Minhyun couldn’t mistake it. “Just- just stay away.” The groom’s voice wavered slightly. Really, the shudder in his tone was subtle.

 

“Why?” Minhyun challenged the other. He stood his ground. He had a feeling he knew exactly why.

 

“Because I said so.”

 

“That’s not an answer.”

 

“You’re not entitled to one.”

 

“We’ve known each other for years,” Minhyun practically pleaded for the other to keep him around. He wasn’t sure why. Suddenly, it dawned on him how it felt to be so hopeless. The perspective flooded him so quickly that he nearly fell over. “I held your hand through this- through everything. Come on, it’s- it’s your wedding day. You’re nervous, we’re all nervous.”

 

“Leave.”

 

“No,” Minhyun refused. “Not until you tell me why.” He crossed his arms. Perhaps it was just his desperation whispering in his ears, but he clung to the notion gnawing at the back of his head.

 

“I already told you-”

 

“You told me bullshit. Tell me why or you’ll have to remove me by force.”

 

Dongho huffed indignantly. He turned on his heel to face Minhyun. His chocolate brown eyes bore into Minhyun’s fiercely.

 

“You don’t support this marriage,” He said through gritted teeth.

 

“I think you’re lying,” Minhyun called him out. Dongho’s hands closed into fists.

 

“I don’t give a shit what you think.”

 

“Another lie,” A tiny smirk teased Minhyun’s lips. He knew that it wasn’t the time for being smug, but in his demented state, he couldn’t help it. Anxiety and dread needled Minhyun’s insides incessantly. A buzz filled his ears, and he prayed it would stop. He tried to drown it out with words. “You wanna know the truth?”

 

Dongho narrowed his eyes, “I want you to leave,” He shoved Minhyun roughly. The skinnier man jolted back, but he caught his balance.

 

“Of course you do, you’re afraid,” Minhyun said coldly.

 

The groom let out a dry laugh, “Oh please-”

 

“This whole ‘I’m not worried about marrying Jonghyun’ thing- it’s bullshit. You are full of bullshit, Dongho.”

 

“Minhyun, I don’t want to hurt you, but if I have to-”

 

“This whole thing,” Minhyun threw his hands up, “Me being the best man. What was that, a punishment?”

 

“What are you-”

 

“You must have loved it, watching me sit there while you tried on suits and- and sampled cake-”

 

“Minhyun,” Dongho’s voice trembled again. He sounded outraged, yet wetness twinkled in his eyes.

 

“Did that make you happy, Dongho? Did you enjoy watching me die a little every time I- I watched you two kiss or- or hold hands?”

 

“Minhyun stop-”

 

“No, you stop. You stop being delusional-”

 

“Stop talking-” Dongho’s eyes went wide. He gave the impression that he wanted to be menacing or overbearing. He froze instead.

 

“Stop lying to yourself!” Minhyun’s voice echoed across the groom’s suite.

 

“Minhyun don’t-”

 

“If I really believed that you and Jonghyun were in love and meant to be together-”

 

“You’re being selfish-”

 

“-then I would give you all of my support, but honestly?”

 

“-delusional-”

 

“He’s a band-aid to you!” Minhyun shoved the other back roughly.

 

“He is my fiance,” Dongho tried to be stern.

 

“He deserves better than this!”

 

“You’re right, maybe I’m not good enough for JR, but I love him-”

 

“You’re not in love with him, Dongho! You love the shit out of him - I do, too - but you are not in love with him!”

 

“God- I knew it. There it is. Just say you’re jealous and leave.”

 

“I’m- I- what!? This- this isn’t about me,” Minhyun felt five seconds away from slapping the other man. “This is about you marrying a man you are not in love with! A man that we both care about dearly who- who is about to be tethered to someone who doesn’t. Love. Him.” He seethed.

 

“No, this is about you being jealous that I finally found someone who makes me happy! Someone who’s- who’s sweet and kind and there for me! It must kill you to see it.”

 

Minhyun sighed resignedly, “You know what? You’re right. It does kill me to watch you two. It kills me for many reasons, but… Through being your best man and seeing you two together… What kills me the most is that not once in years of knowing both of you have I seen love - true love - between the two of you. You wanna know what I see? Two really awesome roommates who fuck each other. Just like you said: it’s easy. He’s easy- I mean, shit, sometimes I think I’m in love with Jonghyun. Who- who wouldn’t? He’s the easiest person on this earth to love! It’s so! Fucking! Easy!” He felt nearly manic at that point like he’d been taken over by some unhinged spirit. It made him laugh with relief; finally, he could let it all off of his chest. 

 

“Maybe you’d understand that loving someone can be easy if you weren’t always so fucking difficult,” Dongho said bitterly. 

 

Minhyun sighed, “Our relationship was… Never easy, but don’t lie to yourself. Don’t lie to me,” He looked Dongho in the eye, and let his sense of frenzy dim down. With deliberate calmness, he spoke clearly, “Loving me may not have been… A struggle. Maybe you had to fight for our love, but you never had to fight to be in love. That- that was always easy.”

 

A tear fell down Dongho’s cheek. He blinked rapidly to scatter the other ones that had welled up in his eyes. His face scrunched, stubbornly fighting off a meltdown. Guilt came crashing down onto Minhyun. It was supposed to be the happiest day of Dongho’s life, and he’d ruined it. Just like he always ruined everything with them. Even though Minhyun stood by his words, he felt as if he should’ve just kept his mouth shut.

 

Dongho seemed happy with Jonghyun and, like he said, it was easy. Isn’t that enough? Stale feelings and dusty memories no longer had merit in their present day. The time to apologize or call Dongho out had long expired. It was like bringing up a cold case two days before the statute was up. Why bother reopening all those old wounds?

 

Because I’m selfish, Minhyun thought. Because I care about Jonghyun - he preferred that reason. Part of it was true, he did care about Jonghyun and felt their friend deserved better. Still, to knock everything down on their wedding day… Minhyun and Dongho had labored so much to get past the monumental heap of emotion they’d surmounted over the years. The years of on and off, the running away only to turn around and chase the other, the games… They’d done it all, seen it all, and then some. Things had gotten ugly, so ugly, and it took a lot of doing to pretty up the ugly pile of mess left in the wake of their relationship. 

 

And it almost worked.

 

Except, Minhyun just couldn’t let it. They had their eyes on the finish line only to dig themselves a hole before ever reaching it.

 

Reflexively, Minhyun reached out to wipe the tears on the other’s cheek. He swiped his thumb unceremoniously across the other’s face. It wasn’t until he noticed a set of beautiful brown eyes dazedly looking up at him that he realized what he’d done. He knew he needed to recoil his hand, but he couldn’t. It was like he’d lost control of his body. Those eyes drew Minhyun in just like they always had. His heartbeat hastened and its sound filled his ears. Pressure squeezed him from the inside out.

  
Dongho had a gravitational pull on Minhyun. It’s something that he’d always had, and even when dressed up, hours away from marrying someone else, he still had it. That thing that Minhyun found irresistible. The best man couldn’t stop himself. He felt like he’d separated from his body when he leaned forward, pressing his lips against Dongho’s.

 

White hot electricity sparked in his chest. It burned his throat and his fingertips, causing heat to rush to his face. His entire body shook with the sensation. He felt like a year's long thirst had finally started to get quenched. Even more electrifying was Dongho’s rapid response. Just as lost as Minhyun, he lapsed into the kiss with ease. The groom’s lips eagerly met the best man’s, and his hands shot to the other’s lapels to yank him closer.

 

Their bodies pressed against one another and they kissed greedily. Years of scarcely suppressed feelings overflowed. They manifested in lashing tongues and uttered noises. It nearly hurt Minhyun, the force the other used. Their teeth clacked and their noses bumped. Dongho had gotten more fit since they’d dated - a detail Minhyun didn’t miss. He lecherously groped and squeezed where he pleased while he could. He felt the end of their spell of craziness looming over him. 

 

He chased that moment to the very end, and, for a few precious moments, nothing had changed. They were the same Minhyun and Dongho who’d spent years after one another. They were the pair that - no matter what happened or who fucked who - couldn’t stay apart.

 

Eventually, the two separated. They were nothing but husks, all of their aggression poured out through their actions. Their panting filled the room along with a heat that hadn’t been there beforehand.

 

Dongho’s jaw dropped in disbelief. He looked at Minhyun with even more devastation than before, shaking his head slowly. 

 

“Get out,” He said, though more quietly that time.

 

This time, Minhyun didn’t argue. A strange numbness ran over him. He wanted to say something, but there wasn’t really any words that could improve the situation. He nodded and began ambling out. His breath hadn’t quite returned, and he wasn’t sure if it would. He had no idea how to proceed. Part of him wanted to ask “should I still show up to the ceremony?” - but it felt wildly inappropriate. His footsteps echoed across the suite as he made his way to the exit.

 

“Hwang Minhyun,” Dongho’s voice rang out in the silence. Once again, it had a tremble to it. Despite his better senses, Minhyun glanced over his shoulder at the other. He saw more tears streaming down Dongho’s face - though his expression stubbornly remained firm. Finally, Dongho uttered his thought:

 

“You really do ruin everything.”

**Author's Note:**

> // This work is a piece of fiction and is meant to be read as such. None of the person(s) or brand(s) mentioned belong to me.


End file.
